The football world cup finally wound up on Sunday night. Italy rejoiced as the azzuri beat les blues to win the Holy Grail. The biggest show on earth put on an amazing couple of weeks for the entire world to see. It became a platform for the world to see how Germany has changed post cold war and how it has united into one Germany. That was one of the best things to come out of the world cup this year. To see the Germans once again united under the one flag and be patriotic about their homeland was a treat. There were several highs in the world cup in my opinion, which are as follows in no particular order:
1. Australia coming back from 1-0 behind and scoring 3 goals in the last 8 minutes against Japan.
2. Ronaldo scoring a goal against Ghana to become the leading world cup scorer of all time
3. Germany winning on penalties against Argentina
I can go on about many others, but those described above are right up there.
1. Australia coming back from 1-0 behind and scoring 3 goals in the last 8 minutes against Japan.
2. Ronaldo scoring a goal against Ghana to become the leading world cup scorer of all time
3. Germany winning on penalties against Argentina
I can go on about many others, but those described above are right up there.
As always, there were a few lows in the world cup too, which I do not want to go on about. There is only one moment that topped it all out....which is (you guessed it!) Zinedine Zidane head butting Materazzi in the world cup final and being sent off. One might think why such a legend and an icon would do such a thing. The person who is one of the coolest customers as they can come in football. The person who is an icon and a hero to many in France and people around the world. The person who was ending his glittering career on the day. Why?
Reports coming out from after the world cup suggest an interesting story. Some reports are saying that Materazzi called ZZ a 'dirty terrorist'. Of course he denies it rigorously. Whatever it was, it must be something really hurtful and offensive if it got through to ZZ.
Granted things happen during a competitive game, people say things, but a person who offends another by calling them or their family something is totally unacceptable.
It is different in different sports. In cricket for example sledging is accepted as being part of the game.
Football has taken the lead in putting out a message on racism in every single game in the final stages of the world cup. Both the team captains read out a statement shunning racism. But is that enough? When people's perception and ideas are governed by media in the world, can this or will this be of any help?
What Zidane did in the world cup final was not acceptable from a fair play/football point of view. But can what Materazzi said or did be forgiven?
I agree there should be rules governing this kind of thing and football is doing the right thing in promoting the message of racism and fair play.
However, in the end the way people are given the message by their governments and their media is the only thing that really matters.
Granted things happen during a competitive game, people say things, but a person who offends another by calling them or their family something is totally unacceptable.
It is different in different sports. In cricket for example sledging is accepted as being part of the game.
Football has taken the lead in putting out a message on racism in every single game in the final stages of the world cup. Both the team captains read out a statement shunning racism. But is that enough? When people's perception and ideas are governed by media in the world, can this or will this be of any help?
What Zidane did in the world cup final was not acceptable from a fair play/football point of view. But can what Materazzi said or did be forgiven?
I agree there should be rules governing this kind of thing and football is doing the right thing in promoting the message of racism and fair play.
However, in the end the way people are given the message by their governments and their media is the only thing that really matters.
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